Maine Gov. Paul LePage has reversed his move to withdraw the nominations of five judicial reappointments.
The Republican governor nominated the justices in September and they are scheduled to be confirmed on Monday during a special session of the Legislature.
LePage announced he was withdrawing his nominations in letters dated Friday. House Speaker Sara Gideon, a Freeport Democrat, said she received the letters on Sunday. But the governor effectively put the nominations back in play in letters dated Monday to Republican Senate President Mike Thibodeau.
The five judges were nominated in 2010 by former Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat.
LePage nominated the judges for reappointment to the Maine superior and district courts. The reappointments had been approved by the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. His office declined comment.
Maine lawmakers have begun a special session with a tribute to a late lawmaker.
State Rep. Gina Mason died in September at age 57. The House on Monday began a special session with a moment of silence in her memory.
She was a first-term lawmaker and mother of Republican Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason.
His father, Rick, is planning to run to fill the empty seat in a November special election.
Her service as a public official included time on the Lisbon Town Council. She served on the Legislature's Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee.
Maine Gov. Paul LePage has withdrawn the nominations of five judicial reappointments just as the judges' confirmations were expected.
The Republican governor nominated the justices in September and they were scheduled to be confirmed on Monday during a special session of the Legislature.
LePage dated the withdrawal letters on Friday. They do not say why he withdrew the nominations. House Speaker Sara Gideon, a Freeport Democrat, said she received them on Sunday, less than a day before the reappointment confirmations were expected by the Senate.
The five judges were nominated in 2010 by former Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat.
LePage had nominated the judges for reappointment to the Maine Superior Court and Maine District Court. The reappointments had been approved by the Legislature's Judiciary Committee.Lawmakers are returning to Augusta for a special session.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage ordered lawmakers to return Monday to fix problems in the food sovereignty law and to restore funding for the Maine Office of Geographic Information System.
But lawmakers also will deal with sales of recreational marijuana. A Maine legislative panel has agreed on a rewrite of the law, while Gov. Paul LePage wants lawmakers to simply delay sales until 2019.
LePage says meat and poultry must be exempted from the food sovereignty law so state officials can continue to regulate those products. If not, he says the federal government will step in to regulate them.
Lawmakers are also expected to consider the future of a new voter-approved system that allows voters to rank candidates.
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